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THE HELENA ROMANES SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM CENTRE

CONTENTS

1. Letter from the Chair of Governors

2. School Context

3. Person specification and Job description (2019)

4. Letter from the Head Girl and Head Boy

5. Current leadership Structure

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THE HELENA ROMANES SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM CENTRE February 2019

Letter from the Chair of Governors

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the role of Headteacher at The Helena Romanes School and

Sixth Form Centre.

We are seeking an individual to work with Governors to deliver and build on the vision for the

school, as detailed in the Job Description and Person Specification.

The successful candidate will have outstanding leadership qualities and a track record of

strong management in secondary education with the expectation to maintain and develop

our guiding values; and to demonstrate inspirational and effective leadership to ensure our

dedicated staff team and our talented students continue to achieve the very best for

themselves and for our wider school community.

One of our key goals is to continue to be a fully comprehensive and inclusive school with a

sixth form, offering a broad and balanced curriculum which caters for all our learners. The

school was last inspected in March 2016 and was rated as a “Good” school; we believe that,

with the right leadership, continued drive and the determination of our school community, we

can become an “Outstanding” school.

We look forward to receiving your application by 4pm on the 4th March, 2019.

Yours Faithfully,

Mike Perry

Chair of Governors

THE HELENA ROMANES SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM CENTRE

School Context

The Helena Romanes School and Sixth Form Centre (HRS) is an academy rated “Good” (Ofsted, March 2016) that is strongly committed to the continuous improvement of educational standards. Situated in the historic market town of Great Dunmow, HRS is an 11-18 comprehensive school founded in 1958. It became Grant Maintained in 1994 and later gained Foundation status in 1996. It was awarded Specialist School status in Humanities (with English as the lead subject) in July 2006 and became a stand-alone academy in April 2012. It is currently led by a successful Headteacher who was selected to become a Local Leader in Education. The school currently has 1,200 students, of whom 120 are in the sixth-form. The school has 9 main feeder primary schools, although we also admit a number from other primary schools who are attracted by our educational offering. Due to population growth in the catchment area and the requirement for the school to grow during the next decade, we are investigating options for the development of the school, including relocation and expansion. Our mission is: “To create an outstanding learning culture where the expectations of HRS are met and exceeded by students and staff alike”. Our core purpose is integrated within the school acronym:

Honesty – be truthful and accepting of responsibility of our actions Respect – have due regard for the feelings, wishes and rights of others Success – equip yourself to maximise your talents and potential

To become an outstanding school, the vision is to: ● create a culture of high expectations for all students and staff ● continue to improve the quality of teaching and learning ● provide a high quality educational experience for all students ● raise standards of achievement for all students ● build leadership capacity and capability for all students and staff ● become a learning community where all can succeed

The Helena Romanes School is committed to a broad and balanced education for all students with a curriculum which is relevant, inclusive and challenging for all learners, and we have invested a great deal of time in improving our curriculum offer. Since 2009 we have delivered a condensed curriculum at Key Stage 3 in favour of expanded offering at Key Stage 4, with greater academic emphasis and focus on the English Baccalaureate. We are equally committed to delivering a high quality Key Stage 5 curriculum for our community. We believe it is a vital and important aspect of students’ education that they are given opportunities to engage in a range of cultural, social, spiritual and sporting experiences which might not otherwise be open to them. We offer an extensive range of extra-curricular opportunities and educational trips locally, nationally and internationally. Our clubs and trips are very popular and extremely well-supported. The wider community also makes good use of our excellent facilities during evenings and weekends. We contribute to the “outstanding” Mid-Essex Initial Teacher Training Partnership and are also a member of the Consortium for School Improvement (CSI), a collaboration of 10 local schools focussed on supporting school improvement across the Consortium.

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THE HELENA ROMANES SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM CENTRE Post title: Headteacher - Secondary Pay range: Leadership scale 33-39 Line managed by: Board of Governors

Job description Core purpose: ● Take the lead role on working with the Governors to develop and implement a

collaborative vision, which embraces excellence, high standards and inclusion.

● Lead by example to foster an open, transparent and equitable culture.

● Secure consistently excellent teaching to achieve high standards of learning and attainment across the school, including preparation for further and higher education.

● Establish and maintain a working culture where all staff feel supported and safe, and able to achieve an equitable work life balance.

● Ensure all staff are accountable for their professional conduct and practice.

● Ensure inclusion, diversity and accessibility in all aspects of school life.

● Be responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school.

● Plan and manage finance and resources astutely to ensure best value.

● Develop and sustain effective relationships with the Chair of Governors, Governors and Clerk, to ensure effective governance of the school, and the fulfilment of the Governing Board’s responsibilities.

● Build, develop and maintain effective professional relationships with staff, students and parents/carers and members of the wider community to enhance the education of all students.

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● To develop and maintain effective links and partnerships with other schools and organisations to foster and share best practice.

● Uphold the highest standards of professional and business ethics, and work with Governors to ensure that these permeate all the decision-making processes.

● Keep students safe and support the Governors to implement and oversee the highest possible standards of child protection and safeguarding throughout the school.

● Undertake other duties and responsibilities as reasonably directed by the Governors.

Duties and responsibilities Qualities and knowledge – the successful candidate should have the ability to: ● Hold and articulate clear values and moral purpose, focussing on providing a high-

quality education for all students.

● Demonstrate positive professional and personal behaviour in relationships and attitudes towards students, staff, parents/carers, governors and members of the local community.

● Lead by example – with integrity, creativity, resilience and clarity – drawing on personal scholarship, expertise and skills, and that of others.

● Sustain wide, current knowledge and understanding of education and school systems and processes locally, nationally and globally, and pursue Continuous Professional Development (CPD).

● Work with political awareness and financial astuteness, within a clear set of principles centred on the school’s vision, ably translating local and national policy into the school’s context.

● Communicate the school’s vision with enthusiasm, drive the strategic leadership and empower all students and staff to excel.

Students and staff – the successful candidate should have the ability to: ● Demand ambitious standards for all students, overcoming disadvantage and advancing

equality, instilling a strong sense of accountability in staff for the impact of their work on students’ outcomes.

● Secure excellent teaching through an analytical understanding of how students learn and of the core features of successful classroom practice and curriculum design, leading to rich curriculum opportunities and sustained student wellbeing.

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● Establish a supportive educational culture as a basis for sharing best practice within the school and with other schools, drawing on and conducting relevant research and robust data analysis.

● Create an ethos within which all staff are motivated and supported to develop their own skills, subject knowledge, and to support each other.

● Coach current and aspiring leaders in a climate where excellence is the standard; identify emerging talents; ensure clear succession planning.

● Ensure all staff are accountable for their professional conduct and practice.

Systems and processes – the successful candidate should have the ability to:

● Ensure that the school’s systems, organisation and processes are well-considered, efficient and fit for purpose, upholding the principles of transparency, integrity and probity.

● Provide a safe, calm and well-ordered environment for all students and staff, focussed on safeguarding students and developing their exemplary behaviour in the school and wider society.

● Maintain rigorous, fair and transparent systems and measures for managing the performance of all staff, addressing under-performance, supporting staff to improve and valuing excellent practice.

● Welcome strong governance and actively support the governors to understand their role and deliver their functions effectively – in particular their functions to set school strategy and to hold the headteacher to account for student, staff and financial performance.

● Exercise strategic, curriculum-led financial planning to ensure the equitable deployment of budgets and resources, in the best interests of students’ achievements and the school’s sustainability.

● Delegate appropriately throughout the organisation, creating teams with distinct roles and responsibilities.

The self-improving school system – the successful candidate should have the ability to:

● To develop and maintain effective links and partnerships with other schools and organisations to champion best practice and secure excellent achievements and attainment for all students.

● Develop effective relationships with fellow professionals and colleagues in other public services to improve academic and social outcomes for all students.

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● Challenge educational orthodoxies in the best interests of achieving excellence, harnessing the findings of well-evidenced research to frame a self-regulating and self-improving school.

● Shape the current and future quality of education through high-quality training and sustained professional development for all staff.

● Model entrepreneurial and innovative approaches to school improvement, leadership and management.

● Inspire and influence others – within and beyond the school – to believe in the fundamental importance of lifelong learning.

Person specification It is important that your application addresses and provides evidence of each criterion marked as Application Form (AF) in the Person Specification.

Core Purpose Evidenced through:

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

AF

Degree level qualification or equivalent

AF

NPQH or further relevant professional/academic study and evidence of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) with knowledge of current/future issues in education

AF

Evidence of strong, successful senior leadership and management experience in a secondary school with a sixth form.

AF

Qualities and knowledge:

Visibly hold and articulate clear vision, values, moral purpose, and demonstrate positive relationships and attitudes.

AL/IP

Demonstrate a strategic leadership style that is characterised by integrity, creativity, resilience and transparency.

AL/IP

The ability to inspire and motivate students, staff and other stakeholders individually and collaboratively.

AL/IP

Plan, lead, implement and evaluate change collaboratively.

AL/IP

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Students and staff:

Raising standards that have impacted positively on both student attainment, and teaching and learning.

AL/IP

A clear understanding of what makes good and outstanding teaching through a deep understanding of how students learn, and the ability to develop a culture where striving for outstanding teaching and learning is central to the school's work.

AL/IP

A commitment to valuing and supporting all staff members, and to encouraging their professional development.

AL/IP

A clear understanding of and commitment to promoting and safeguarding the welfare of students.

AL/IP

Systems and processes:

Significant experience in evaluating and using data from a range of sources in order to plan and improve student outcomes.

AL/IP

Strong financial planning and management skills, with experience of making effective use of resources.

AL/IP

The self-improving school:

Building and nurturing a strong, positive and collaborative team culture that enables all staff to carry out their respective roles to the highest standard and to work together effectively to deliver improvement and achieve an equitable work-life balance.

AL/IP

A commitment to building and maintaining effective and positive relationships with parents/carers, governors, the wider community and other schools.

AL/IP

Inspiring and influencing others, within and beyond the school, to believe in the fundamental importance and value of lifelong learning.

AL/IP

Excellent communication skills and proven ability to listen to, understand and work effectively with all students, staff, governors and parents/carers.

AL/IP

The ability to manage and resolve challenging issues

AL/IP

This job description is not your contract of employment but is complimentary to it. It has been prepared only for the purpose of Helena Romanes School and may change, as your contract changes, or as the organisation of the school is changed. Nothing will be changed without consultation. This document must not be altered once it has been signed but it will be reviewed annually as part of the performance management process or as appropriate.

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Signature of post holder __________________________ Date / / Signature of Chair of Governors ___________________________ Date / / Codes: Application Form – AF Application Letter – AL Interview Process – IP

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THE HELENA ROMANES SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM CENTRE Letter from the Head Girl After spending almost seven years at Helena Romanes School (HRS), I have developed a

strong relationship with many teachers to whom I would not hesitate to go for help and

support. Despite our large size, the Headteacher knows every person, and it is this kind of

passion and dedication to the school that is passed on to us as students.

Our school and sixth form have developed close links with the surrounding area, which

brings everybody in our rural community closer together. Generations of families have all

studied at our school, because they trust that Helena Romanes will uphold key values, whilst

adapting to the challenges we face in modern education. Helena Romanes does not allow

anyone to get left behind.

Our Sixth Form offers a multitude of subjects to cater for a variety of tastes, including both

A-Levels and BTECs. Of course, there was no question in my mind that I would continue

studying at Helena Romanes for A-Levels, and the Headteacher continues to play an active

part in helping us transition into adulthood, inspiring us to move in to higher education.

Since being elected Head Girl, I have had many opportunities to improve our school,

because we as students truly care about the environment in which we learn.

I know that Helena Romanes will continue to grow long after I have left, and I am proud to

have been given the opportunity to play a role in the development of such a positive and

inclusive learning community.

Head Girl Sixth Form (2018-2019)

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THE HELENA ROMANES SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM CENTRE

Letter from the Head Boy

Having attended Helena Romanes since Year 7, I can say that there is no school in this area

that would have given me the same love and support as HRS. From the subject teachers to

the Sixth Form teams and all the way down to the students, HRS has given me the time,

confidence and - most importantly - the support to help me back onto my feet, and to help

me to achieve my full potential.

Of all of the people in this school, however, there is one person at the top and he is never

absent and always in the view of people - our Headteacher. HRS is a very united school with

everyone supporting each other in order to succeed. The hard work and dedication of the

Headteacher have made this into a great school, and we now need someone new to fill this

role. HRS, in my opinion, is a fantastic school, which supports everyone from the less-able

students to the highest achievers, and I think that is part of what makes this school great. At

HRS, we recognise that all it takes is a bit of nurturing to a struggling sapling to see it flourish

into a beautiful tree.

Currently, we have a system that works well with the communication between the

headteacher and the sixth form; we need someone to continue to work well with all of the

appropriate teams while still maintaining confidence, resilience and co-operation. Once

coming to this sixth form, I have never had a second thought about my choice and I’m

convinced anyone else who really immerses themselves in this atmosphere would feel the

same.

Head Boy Sixth Form (2018-2019)

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THE HELENA ROMANES SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM CENTRE

Current Leadership Structure Headteacher

Vision/Strategic Direction SIP/SEF/Curriculum

Post-16 Line Management: Senior leadership team, MFL, Science, Music, Cover

Governors: Strategic, Resources & Staffing, Full

Deputy Headteacher

Pastoral (Rewards and sanctions) Assessment

Year 11 Progress and Achievement Curriculum

Network Post-16

Line Management: English, Maths, Employment & Enterprise, Art, DoL’s Years 7-11, Student managers, ICT, Network

Assessment co-ordinator Governors: Strategic, Audit and Full

Assistant Headteacher Assistant Headteacher

Staffing, Safeguarding Inclusion

Performance Management SMSC, SENCO

Line Management: Drama/Media, RE, PSHCE, Extended Learning, Safeguarding, HR

Governors: Resources & Staffing

Teaching and Learning SCITT/NQT CPD/Inset

Line Management: Technology, PE, Geography, History,

Literacy and Numeracy Governors: Standards & Education

Senior Leader

Business Manager

Personalised Learning Centre (PLC) Behaviour and Attendance Panel (BAP) meetings

Governors: Standards & Education

Finance, Premises, Health & Safety Fire Marshal, Marketing

Line Management: Site Team, Catering, H&S Governors: Resources & Staffing, Audit

Head of Sixth Form SLT Secondment

Governors: Standards & Education

Number of Teaching Staff 76 Number of Support Staff 91 (Inc. invigilators)